Imagine Me Naked
by HarleyChick91
Summary: Mariah sends a semi-flirting message to the wrong person. Set before the MS charity event.
1. Chapter 1

**Imagine Me Naked**

**Chapter One**

It had been three months since Noah introduced me to his sister. Over that time, I became close with both of them but was dating Noah. Ironically, Mariah and I talked more than Noah and I do.

Sitting beside the man, we continued watching a superhero movie he wanted to see. "Pass the popcorn?"

"Sure." Giving him the bowl, I saw my phone light up. Leaning forward, I grabbed it from the table. I smiled seeing Mariah's name across my screen.

_Getting in the shower, babe. Can't wait for our date tonight. -M_

Snorting a laugh, I replied. _Can't wait, babe. But didn't know we had a date tonight. -T _

"What are you laughing at?" Noah tried looking over my shoulder but I turned my phone away.

"Mariah sent me a text that was meant for Devon."

_OMG! I'm so sorry! *face/palm* I wasn't paying attention. -M_

_ Clearly. Haha. No worries. -T _

"What'd she say? It must have been funny. I've never heard you snort before."

Placing my phone on the armrest, I went back to the movie. "That she was getting in the shower and couldn't wait for our date tonight." I paused. "It was meant for Devon."

Pausing the movie, Noah became serious. "You sure about that?" My brow creased. "Subconsciously, she could have meant to send it to you. I mean, telling someone you're getting in the shower is basically an invitation to imagine them naked." _Oh, God. Not again. I can't imagine Mariah naked, wet, and covered in soap._ "Hey! Hey!" Waving his hand in front of my face, Noah smirked.

"What?" I blinked away the image.

Noah's eyes narrowed. "Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere…" My voice trailed off. "What? What's that look?" His head tilted slightly. "What?" _Now I'm getting a little annoyed. _

Shifting towards me, Noah became serious. "Tessa, be honest with me. Do you like Mariah?"

_Think fast!_ "Yeah, I mean, she's becoming my best friend."

Rolling his eyes, the man smirked. "You know what I meant. Do you have romantic feelings for my sister?"

Unable to think of a reasonable excuse, I sighed. "Yes, I think I do." Seeing Noah recoil slightly, I added. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen. It just did."

Biting the inside of his cheek, he looked away. "Were you ever going to tell me?"

"Being honest," I shrugged, "probably not. I really like you but it's different with Mariah."

"You can't help how you feel." Sighing, Noah faced forward to lean on his elbows. "I should have known. I heard you in the shower the other night. With those noises, you weren't thinking about me." Laughing sarcastically, he pinched the bridge of his nose like Mariah did when a headache was pending.

_Damn it. I thought I got away with that. I couldn't get the thought of Mariah in that sexy dress out of my head._ "You heard that?"

"Yeah, yeah I did." Noah rubbed his face. "I guess it's better than another guy. And it's not like I didn't notice the way you and Mariah looked at each other."

"Yeah, wait, what?" I stammered.

"Come on, Tessa. You have to have noticed how Mariah looks at you. Especially when you're on stage. It's like you're the only person in the room. If The Underground burns with us inside, she's saving you."

I couldn't help but laugh at Noah's expression. "I don't…know what to say to that."

"Just…be good to her." He smiled sadly. "That's all I can ask for."

"Okay, but one problem: she's dating Devon. Clearly." I motioned to my phone. "They even have a date tonight." I tried to hide my contempt.

"Mmhmm." Noah smirked. "I bet if you said you needed her for something, she'd drop whatever she was doing. But you're not going to do that." Tapping his chin, he thought. "How to win Mariah over?"

"You're actually going to help me with this?" _What kind of Twilight Zone episode have I been dropped into?_

"I've never seen Mariah this happy before. As happy as she is when she's around you. And vice versa."

Nodding, I agreed. "Mariah definitely makes me happy." Smiling, I thought about the feisty redhead.

"Well, you might not be able to do anything tonight but, maybe tomorrow? You're living on the ranch. All you have to do is go down to the cottage and knock on the door. Mariah will always answer for you."

Warmth filled my chest. _I know Mariah will always answer my calls, texts, or any door that's between us. I'd do the same without a thought. Maybe he's right. But I don't want to be a homewrecker. Mariah needs to leave Devon on her own. If she truly wants to be with me, it'll take time and patience. _

"That's the look." Noah's voice was quiet. "When you think about Mariah, your eyes light up and you radiate warmth. It's incredible to see."

My heart pounded the more I thought about the redhead. _He's right. All of it. I feel warm and tingly when I think about her. I don't know what this feeling is but I like it. A lot._ "Yeah…"

Grinning, Noah chuckled. "That's the same way Mariah is. She may not admit it yet, but it's definitely growing."

Biting my lip, I thought about the situation. _Even if what Noah says is true, that doesn't mean Mariah will break up with Devon. She might be scared to do something different. _Since nothing could be done tonight, Noah and I continued watching movies.

Xxx

The next morning, I showered and went to the cottage. To my surprise, Mariah walked in right as I stepped on the cool wood floor at the base of the staircase. "T-Tessa…you're here…"

"Uh-huh." I couldn't help but grin at the woman's frazzled expression. "What's up?"

"I…uh…" She stammered, closing the door behind her. "Is Sharon still here?"

"No. She left about half an hour ago. She asked me to organize stuff in the closets. I think Noah mentioned I was low on funds so she found something for me to do." I shrugged. "Coffee?" I motioned towards the kitchen.

"Sure. I was about to ask why you were here and not at the main house." Mariah's voice trailed off as she hung her coat and purse. "How was your night? I thought you'd still be at Noah's." There was a dash of pain in the redhead's voice when she mentioned her brother.

"Nah. We watched a few movies and he brought me back around midnight." Prepping the coffee maker, I studied the nervous co-host. "How was your date?" I tried not to grin thinking about the text Mariah sent me but failed when pale cheeks turned a light pink.

"It was…okay." Mariah grabbed the creamer and two mugs before leaning against the counter.

"Just okay?" My brow rose in question. "Didn't you have a good time?" Pouring us each a cup of liquid life, I poured just enough creamer in my cup to turn the dark liquid a rich almond color.

"It's complicated." Taking the creamer, Mariah did the same before walking into the living room to sit on the couch.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I didn't want to pry but could see she needed to vent. _Am I sure I want to hear about her date? Be a good friend and let her talk. _

Hesitantly, Mariah held her mug with both hands. She studied the steamy liquid as if it had all the answers she ever needed. "I really like Devon, so much, but I think he's still in love with Hilary."

"What makes you think that?" Taking a sip of coffee, I waited. Shrugging, Mariah looked away, ashamed. "Hey, look at me." Reaching out, I placed a calming hand on the shorter woman's forearm. "I'm here to listen. I'm not going to judge you for trying to be happy."

A soft smile tugged at pale lips. "Thank you. I'm not used to having friends."

"Same." I grinned. "It's weird, right?"

"Yes." Mariah exhaled a laugh. Feeling more at ease, she opened up. "He keeps dreaming about Hilary." My head tilted. "He calls her name in his sleep. I don't think he realizes it and I don't bring it up."

My stomach clenched seeing the pain on my friend's face. "I'm sorry." _Maybe I won't have to come between Mariah and Devon. Not like I would to begin with. I just want her happy. Even if it's not with me. But I really, really want her happy with me. _

"Tessa? Tessa?" Waving a hand, Mariah's brow creased. Snapping out of my thoughts, I gave the redhead my attention. "You went somewhere. What's on your mind?"

I tried franticly to come up with any excuse but couldn't think of any that would be plausible. "I…uh…"

"I didn't mean to dump all of this drama on you first thing in the morning." Taking a long sip of coffee, Mariah groaned. "I just needed someone to talk to."

"Never apologize for talking to me. I'm glad I can be here for you." Pausing, I bit my tongue. _That came out more loving then I meant it to. Please don't read into it too much. Or maybe do? Ugh! I don't know. _

Green eyes took in every expression I tried to hide. "Thank you. It means a lot." Mariah's voice cracked. Stopping herself from feeling too much, she turned it into a joke. "I'll hate it when you move off the ranch."

"What?"

"You and Noah… Eventually, he's going to ask you to move into his place. You won't live here forever."

_She's closing herself off again._ "I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon. As for Noah, I don't think he'll be making any life changes like that. About me anyway." I added quickly. _Please catch that._

Frowning, Mariah stopped mid sip. A slight rage building inside her. "What does that mean? What has he done?"

"Nothing." I laughed. "Noah's great. He's just not my type, you know?"

"No…" She paused. "What do you mean by that?"

Grinning, I emptied my mug. "That's a conversation for later. It's much too early for that suitcase."

Confused, Mariah did the same. "Okay… Another round?" She motioned to her empty cup.

"Definitely." I smiled, taking our mugs into the kitchen for a refill.

The next few hours were filled with small talk about The Hillary Hour and my music. The tension from earlier had dissipated. Sitting on the couch, I felt green eyes burning into me. Glancing up, I smirked playfully. "Someone's staring…"

"What?" A pause. "Sorry!" Papers shuffled from the dining room table. Turning, I smiled at the frantic woman. "I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay, Mariah." I laughed quietly. "Normally, I hate when people hear unfinished or unpolished songs but…" I chose my words carefully. "With you it's different."

All movement stopped. "Why is it different?" Mariah's voice was timid.

"Because I know you're not going to judge this version. You take this and imagine what it could be."

Soft pink tinted Mariah's cheeks as a sheepish smile graced her lips. "I guess." Looking away, her face became redder. Before I could say anything else to further the woman's embarrassment, Mariah's phone rang causing her to jump. Fumbling, she answered. "Hillary, hi! What do you need?"

Turning back to my notebook, I saw a text from Noah light up my screen. Opening the message, I made sure Mariah was preoccupied.

_How's operation Gryffindor? -N_

Smirking, I replied. _Operation Gryffindor? When did we name this? _

_I don't know. I just wanted to be discrete. Better than asking right out in case she's close by. Which is a high possibility knowing you two. -N _

_For your information, she's at the table and I'm not so ha. It's okay-ish. I think. Maybe? Not happy with him so who knows. I just want to tread carefully. -T_

_Yeah, I get that. -N_

Ending the call, Mariah gathered her papers and laptop. "Who are you texting up a storm with?"

"Noah." _It's not a lie. Just not the full truth._

"Oh…" Mariah's face fell. Trying desperately to kill the awkward silence, she continued. "Are you guys doing anything tonight?"

"Nah. I'm playing at The Underground. You?" I watched as the redhead made her way into the living room, placing her leather messenger bag in a chair.

"Guess I'll be seeing you tonight. I'm getting some pictures for the GC Buzz website and doing a small piece on The Underground."

"Fantastic. I might play something new that I've been working on so you'll definitely have some material for the article."

Mariah's face lit with excitement. "Really? I can't wait to hear it."

"Can't wait to play it. Now, shoo so I can finish polishing the song and so you don't get yelled at by Her Majesty."

Xxx

Arriving early, Noah waived me over to the bar. "Hey, what's up? I was going to get ready."

"I know the job with Grandma isn't going to last much longer, and you see how swamped I am here during the weekends," he began.

"Noah, what are you getting at?" I smirked.

"Would you save my butt and let me teach you the ropes on being a bartender? You can play and have a steady paycheck." Before I could open my mouth, Noah continued. "It's not a handout or charity. You've seen firsthand how many times Mariah has had to step in. I just want to help us both." Grinning, he leaned closer. "Besides, you'd get to see Mariah more. She's always here for one reason or another." The young businessman wiggled his eyebrows.

"Did Sharon tell you she hired me to "organize" the cottage?"

Starting to twitch, Noah rubbed the back of his neck. "She may have mentioned it…"

"Noah- "I warned. _Just perfect._

"This job isn't a charity thing. Honest." Noah raised his hands in surrender. "Please consider it. Music label guys come in here all the time scouting new talent. The more you're here the better the shot you have to be seen by them."

Biting the inside of my cheek, I groaned. "Let me think about it?"

"Sure. Take your time."

Warming up in Nick's office, I thought about Noah's offer. _It would be nice having a steady job. Not worrying about having to always find something new at the drop of a hat. Then, seeing Mariah more. Even if it's only because of her job. I enjoy spending time with her. Noah has a point though. I won't live at Nikki's forever. I'll need to find a place to live. But everything in GC is so expensive._ Glancing towards my guitar, my heart started to race. _Maybe music can start a conversation between Mariah and I. One I should have had with her before now._

"I've never seen you this nervous before. What's up?" Jumping, I turned towards the door to see Noah leaning against the frame, a questioning gaze burning into me. "Just wanted to let you know Mariah's on her way. I put someone in front of you on the list so it would give her more time to get here to see her favorite singer." He grinned.

"Thank you, Noah." I paused. "I'll take the job. I'm not sure what I'm going to do about Mariah, but I just know I want to be near her."

"She makes you feel whole?" His voice was a whisper. "Warm, calm, and yet somehow you don't know how you manage to breathe when she's around?"

"Exactly."

"I've felt that before. A long time ago." Clearing his throat, Noah continued. "I recognized the signs. That's why I want to help you with Mariah. I couldn't be happy, but you can."

"What happened to her?"

"It's a long story." Pushing whatever memories away, the businessman became his goofy self once more. "Now, let's get this party started."

I was about to start when Mariah rushed in. Smiling at me, she gave me a thumbs up. Giving a small nod, I began. "Find your cup filled up with happiness again. Thank the clouds for cleansing rain. Find forgiveness in your heart so love remains. And find me there along the way. Then our lives can shine so true where the shadows are just me and you." As I sang, I caught Mariah's gaze. She sat at the bar, phone in hand, ready to snap pictures of me in my element. Pictures of my true self that no one has ever seen before. Only a part of me that she's been able to see. "Though the sky may not always be blue, I'll survive the storm if I'm with you." I played my normal twenty-minute set before leaving the small stage and retreating to the bar for a glass of water.

"Amazing as always!" Mariah beamed.

"Definitely." Noah filled a glass with ice water and placed it before me.

"Thanks." Sipping the cool liquid, I took a seat. "I'm glad everyone seemed to like the new song."

"It was great. I got some amazing pictures for the website." Opening the gallery, Mariah passed me her phone. "Take a look."

Swiping through the pictures, it became clear that Mariah was very talented with a camera. Each picture showed me in a different light and stage of performance. Something that I've never seen before. "These are fantastic." _I wonder if this is how Mariah sees me?_

"Thank you." She smiled triumphantly. Glancing around the bar, the redhead nodded thoughtfully. "This place has really taken off. It's almost always packed on the weekends."

"That's what we were aiming for." Turning his attention towards me, Noah continued. "After the benefit job is over, I'll show you the ropes. Sound good?"

"Yeah, definitely."

"Show you the ropes…" Mariah's voice trailed. "What's going on?"

"I'm going to be a barkeep on the weekends when I'm not on stage." I paused. "You said it yourself: you started here. Now look where you are."

"Noah won't go easy on you." She kidded.

"Oh, that's for sure!" He added.

Glancing at my phone, I realized the time. "Crap, it's late. I gotta go." Gathering my things, I said my goodbyes. "See you guys."

Entering the main house, I was greeted by Nikki playing piano. "Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt."

"That's fine, Tessa." Peering up at me, the elegant woman smiled. "How was the show tonight?"

"Great. You should join again. The crowd loved you the last time. How are the benefit pieces coming together?" Placing my case by the stairs, I leaned against the piano.

"They are coming along well." Flexing her hands, a wince of pain flashed across the woman's features. Nikki caught my eye, warning me with a look not to say anything to Victor.

"You'll do amazing, Nikki." Rolling my shoulders, I picked up my case. "I'm turning in for the night."

"Goodnight, Tessa."

"Night." Making my way up the stairs, I stayed in the hallway so I could listen. _She knows the music but the MS isn't letting her reach the keys. I hope she doesn't stress herself out and make it worse._

Xxx

Even with the technical issues that happened, the benefit was a success. At the last minute, Victor asked me to open for Nikki. Thank God I can perform at the drop of a hat. It was nice playing one of my older songs in dedication to Nikki and all of those who battle with MS on a daily basis.

Entering Crimson Lights, I needed to find a place to live. Getting my normal order, I made my way towards the patio. Stopping before I was noticed, I couldn't help but hear Noah's and Mariah's conversation.

"Tessa and I broke up. It's that simple." Noah's voice was calm. _What the hell is that man doing?!_

"What? Why? What did you do?" _She seems irritated._ I chuckled silently imagining Mariah's expression.

"What makes you think I did something wrong?"

"Because Tessa likes you. Noah, don't be an idiot."

"Not as much as you think…" He mumbled.

"What does that mean?"

_I can't let this go on any longer._ Knocking lightly on the glass, I made myself known. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

"Not much… Just wondering what my brother's done now." Green eyes took me in. Confusion clear.

_ This isn't going to end well. I need to change the subject._ "Nothing that I'm aware of."

Dark brows furrowed. "He said the two of you broke up…"

"I'm going to let you guys talk." Quickly, Noah grabbed his things and darted from the coffeeshop.

Placing my coffee and bagel on the table, I took a seat across from the confused redhead. "We did, yes."

"Why?" The question seemed hollow. As if Mariah asked only because it was the "Best Friend" thing to do.

"We weren't a good fit." Letting the statement sink in, I sipped my coffee. _She looks somewhere between relieved and concerned. _"Noah did nothing wrong. He's really an amazing guy. We just want different things." _He wants a woman and I want his sister. _

"Oh…" Her voice trailed off. A frown appeared when she saw the classified ad on the table. "What's that for?"

"I need to find a place to live. Staying at Nikki's was only until the benefit was over. She said I could stay as long as I needed but it feels awkward being waited on hand and foot." Shrugging, I continued. "I don't want to overstay my welcome."

Nodding slowly, Mariah bit her lip. "Do you think you'll stay in GC?"

_She really doesn't want me to leave town. Maybe there was something to what Noah said._ "I'd love to, but everything is so expensive."

"Yeah…this is an expensive town." Mariah paused in thought before her face lit. "Stay here. I have an idea."

Before I could speak, the redhead was already in the coffeehouse. "Okay…" _What's she up to?_ _I've never seen her move that fast. Especially in heels. _

Moments later, Mariah returned with a pep in her step and Sharon in tow. Glancing between the two women, I put the paper down and tapped my pen against it. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you look thick as thieves."

"No scam. Just a proposal." Mariah seemed hopeful.

"Mariah told me you're looking for a place…"

"Sharon- "

Holding up a hand, the older woman spoke. "It's not what you think." She paused. "You need a place to stay, I have an apartment upstairs for rent. It needs a little TLC but it's got running water, electricity, and everything works. I'll rent it to you."

"That sounds amazing but I don't know how I can afford it. Yes, I've got a bartending job at The Underground along with gigs but…everything in this town is at least a grand a month."

"I'll let you rent it for six hundred a month and you pick up a few shifts here during the week. If you get tips, you can keep them."

Letting the numbers fall into place, I thought. "So, just to clarify, I work for you a few shifts a week, pay you six hundred for rent, lights and water included, and I keep tips?"

"Yes." Jumping up, I wrapped the older woman in a strong embrace. "Oh." Sharon laughed. "I'll take this as a "yes"?"

"Yes! Thank you!" Leaning back, I held the woman's shoulders, "You and your family truly are life savers."

"You're welcome, Tessa." Sharon smiled warmly. "Before you leave, come to the office and I'll give you the key. When do you finish your job with Nikki?"

"Technically, it's over but she's keeping me employed until the end of the week."

"Perfect timing then." Hearing her name called, the businesswoman made her exit.

"Well, that's settled." Mariah took her seat. "You've got a job and place to live."

"I finally have actual roots." Warmth filled my chest. "I've never had that before except with my sister."

"Now you can't just up and leave me." The blood drained from Mariah's face. "Town. Not me." She turned redder by the second. "I gotta go." With that, she was gone.

Xxx

The apartment didn't need as much work as Sharon made it sound. Lots of dust but, for the most part, everything had been covered with sheets and tarps. Part of the bedroom had been used for storage so I had to move boxes around. Nothing a few hours of work couldn't fix.

Wiping my forehead, I opened a bottled water and forced myself not to chug it. _I'll have to get some furniture soon. Thankfully Sharon had an air mattress I could use until I get a bed. Long road ahead but as long as I'm in GC, I can make anything happen. _My stomach flipped when I thought about the fiery redhead. _Well, almost anything. _

Hearing a familiar ringtone, I smiled hearing Mariah's voice. "Sup?"

"Hey, how's the apartment coming along?"

"Pretty good. Just got done cleaning up actually. I need to take a break before going grocery shopping."

"Glad you've made progress. I was thinking about ordering lunch and ambushing you."

Snorting a laugh, I sat on the loveseat. "An ambush means you don't tell the person you're ambushing."

"Yeah…well…I didn't want to just show up in case you were super busy."

"I was taking a break. After you pick up food, come on in. I'll leave the key under the mat. I'm in desperate need of a shower." Hearing a slight cough, I grinned remembering what Noah said. _I wonder if she's imagining me in the shower. Not that I would mind if she was. _The thought caused me to bite my lip wondering what the shorter woman looked like flustered.

"Sure." Mariah squeaked.

"See you in twenty to thirty?" Taking the key off my ring, I placed it under the mat outside. "Key is outside. Just knock on the bathroom door if I'm still in there."

"Will do. See you soon."

"Later." Ending the call, I placed my phone on the kitchen island.

After getting clothes, I tested the water and waited for it to warm up. Letting the steamy water massage my tight muscles felt amazing. The water pressure wasn't as good as on the ranch, but it was much better than what I've had in the past. The more I relaxed; my mind wandered to the redhead. _I wonder if Mariah thought about me naked for a split second. _Biting my lip, I tried desperately not to think about the co-host naked and in the shower with me. The more I fought, the stronger the image came. _Damn it. _Hearing the front door open and close, I pushed the thoughts away.

"I'm here." Mariah tapped on the door.

"Cool." My voice cracked. "I'll be out in a few. Just finishing up."

Once I was out and dried off, I put my hair in a towel and quickly got dressed. Entering the main area, I made myself known. "Sorry about that." Jumping, Mariah's head snapped up from her phone. "And about that."

"It's okay. I was just going through emails from Hilary." Putting her phone down, Mariah pushed a to-go box my way. "The place looks great."

"Thanks. It wasn't as dusty as Sharon made it sound. Once I'm more settled, I'll get some actual furniture. I mainly just need a bed and dresser for now. Thankfully, your mom had cookware here."

Smirking, Mariah's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. The cookware I got her for Christmas a few years ago."

"Oh…" _Oops?_

"There was a glitch from the seller and I got two sets by accident. I tried returning the set I hadn't paid for but they never got back to me. Sharon never told me what she did with the second set."

"Well, it worked out in my favor." I shrugged with a half-smile. "Again, thanks for hooking me up with a job and a place to live. It really means a lot to me. I have a safe place to stay and an income. Hopefully, once I get more settled, I can start writing music again."

Intrigue lit the redhead's face. "Have you been writing anything new lately? Besides what you played at The Underground."

_I know how to get her attention._ "That and another one, Yeah. I've had a newer song playing around in my head too. I've not put it on paper yet." _She wants to hear it so bad. She's nearly buzzing with excitement. Should I put her out of her misery before she explodes? Probably should. _

"That's awesome." Mariah tried to hide her excitement. "I can't wait to hear it sometime."

"After we eat, I can play what I have."

"Really?" Green eyes shined with anticipation. All I did was nod. "Can't wait!"

Lunch was mixed with small talk about work and what my plans were for the apartment. Mariah knew some people who owned a nice thrift store that gave to homeless shelters in town. All items were donated and most of the money raised was given to shelters in need. Something that was near and dear to my heart considering I had stayed in many shelters back in Chicago.

Getting comfortable on the floor, I pulled out my guitar. Mariah sat close and waited patiently for me to start. Humming, I began to play. "Find the beauty in the moment come what may… Leave behind our darkest days. See the wonder in the chance that things can change. Take my hand, I'll lead the way."

Gently, Mariah started swaying. "That's what you played at The Underground."

"Mmhmm. I polished it a little more." _It's almost like she's in a trance. No one has ever listened to me sing like that before._ I continued. "I'll survive the storm right here with you."

"You really are amazing." Her voice was breathless. "So talented."

"Thank you." I tried hiding my bashfulness but failed. _It's so hard keeping my cool around her. When she looks at me like that, I want to kiss her more than normal. _

"Can I hear more?" Her voice was almost inaudible.

Biting my lip, I started playing against my better judgement. "I should know better. I shouldn't start this again. Losing sleep replaying every word I've said to you. Caught in the middle between my head and my heart. This civil war keeping score. What are we fighting for?" I knew I shouldn't be playing this to Mariah, but I couldn't stop myself. The more I tried to stop, the more passionate my voice became. "Your eyes like fire. Through smoke my heart has been cleansed. But I've been jaded and I'm afraid to take another step." The more I sang, something in Mariah changed. _I need to stop before she finds out what I'm trying to hide. _"This feels familiar. I've made a thousand mistakes. I let my guard down. I gave my power away." Feeling a constricting pain in my throat, I placed my hand over the strings to keep myself from continuing. "I gotta stop." My voice cracked.

"Is everything okay?" Mariah became worried. More so when I looked away. "Tessa, talk to me."

"I…I can't." _I shouldn't have done this. I shouldn't have let myself be unguarded around her._

"Please?" Gently, Mariah placed a reassuring hand on my knee. "We're friends. You can tell me anything."

"Not this…" My voice trailed. "I can't tell you this."

"Why not?" Dark brows furrowed. "Tessa?"

"Because it'll change everything."

Silence fell between us as my statement sank in. "Does this song have to do with the reason you and Noah broke up?"

Biting my lip, a nervous laugh escaped my throat. "Sort of."

"Are you in love with someone else? Someone who's obviously not my brother." All I could do was nod. "If you walked away from him with no regrets, what's the problem? It's not like you're in love with me." Pain filled my chest hearing the slight laugh in the redhead's tone. Trying to steady myself, I took in a deep breath and closed my eyes. "Tessa, you're crying…" Wiping a tear away with her thumb, everything slowly fell into place. "You're in love with me…"

"The worst part is, I think you're in love with me too." Tension and fear started to build between us.

"But I'm with Devon."

"That doesn't mean you can't have feelings for someone else."

Standing, Mariah shook her head. "No. I'm not…I can't…" Turning, she grabbed her bag and left. Not even closing the door behind her.

I sat there, unable to move, until I heard the exit door close. Pulling myself to my feet, I closed the door and leaned against it. Letting my head fall back, I tried not to weep. As the tears started to flow, I slid down the door.

**Songs Used: "Umbrella" and "Something in You" by Cait Fairbanks**


	2. Chapter 2

The strain in my throat became unbearable. My heart was breaking. In that moment, I had lost the woman I loved and possibly my only ties to Genoa City. _The second Mariah tells Sharon, she's going to kick me out. I should just pack a bag and leave now. _Wiping my face, I fought my kneejerk reaction to flee. _No. Can't run. I almost have a life here. I need to change the pattern. I can't run again. It's too hard to start over. I'm sick of it. I told myself this place would be different. I can't break that promise to myself. _

Feeling myself calm, I leaned my head back against the door. "I can do this." _Maybe if I hear it, I'll believe it._ Smirking at myself, I scoffed. I groaned hearing Noah's ringtone. Answering it, I rocked forward and stood. "Hey…" My voice trailed.

"Hey. Wait, have you been crying? What happened?"

Clearing my throat, I sighed. "Mariah knows."

"Knows what?" He paused. "Oh, she _knows_?"

"Yeah…" Collapsing on the couch, I put the call on speaker. _I still need to get groceries. Ugh. I don't feel like doing it now._ _I was hoping to ask Mariah if she wanted to tag along but that's out now. _

"Obviously she's in shock and didn't take it well." A bitter laugh escaped my throat. "But how did she find out? Did you tell her?"

"Not exactly. I started playing a few new songs and it came up that I was in love with someone who wasn't you."

"Ah. And she freaked?"

"After I may have mentioned that I thought she loved me back, yeah."

"Oh…" Noah's voice trailed. "Yeah… She wouldn't take that well. Especially if she's not come to terms with it yet."

"Clearly, she has not." Scrolling through Instacart, I went through the BOGO sales first.

"Are you going to be okay?"

"I guess."

"Within reason?"

"Yeah. I've just never cared about someone like I care about Mariah." _Not a huge fan of that brand but it's good to have meat in the freezer._

"I understand that. What are you doing now?"

"Grocery shopping. I'm trying Instacart. After the order is delivered, I'll have to cancel the subscription so it doesn't auto-renew. I can't afford a hundred bucks."

"I can give you my account info and you can use mine. Just change the delivery address."

"And pay a portion so I can keep using it?"

"Sure."

"Thanks."

"Make sure you get wine. After today, you deserve it."

"And ice cream. Lots of ice cream." I laughed.

"You really going to be okay? I can come over if you need me to."

"Thanks, Noah. I'll be fine. It'll just take a while before I can see Mariah and not want to run the other way."

"She'll come to terms with it. It'll just take her a little while. I've never seen her look at someone the way she looks at you. That seed has been planted and she's going to analyze everything."

Feeling my hope swell, I bit my lip. "You think so?"

"Yeah. I may not have known Mariah since birth but we're more alike than either of us are willing to admit."

"That's the truth!" Placing the order, I tried to relax a little. "I'm going to hop off here."

"Alright. If you need, just shoot me a text."

"Will do."

Xxx

It took a month to release the tension of possibly losing my apartment and my jobs. If Mariah was going to tell Sharon about my feelings for her, I would have been evicted by now. I'm not sure what was more painful: worrying about losing Mariah or losing my stability in GC.

Wiping down the bar, I watched as people filtered into The Underground, eagerly waiting for open mic night. Putting on a fake smile, I took people's orders. "One Old Fashioned, coming up."

"Thanks, Tessa." Robert, a frequent flyer, took a seat and waited patiently. "How are things going with your music?"

"Pretty good. I play tonight." Slinging a towel over my shoulder, I started his drink. "How was your trip to North Carolina?"

"Eh, it was nice." He shrugged. "Asheville is nothing but breweries now. I went to see the Biltmore Estate but that can be done in a day."

"The whole estate?" He nodded. "Did Jenny like it?"

"Loved it!" Robert laughed as I placed the drink on the bar. "But she loves old castles and stuff. She's happy. That's all that matters to me." Taking a sip, he hummed. "Perfect."

"Enjoy." Turning my attention to the next customer, I couldn't help but notice flaming curls walking in the door. Catching my gaze, Mariah turned to leave. Lucky for me, Noah caught her before she could run.

After a short conversation, the redhead left. Shrugging, Noah came behind the bar. "I knew it would take her a while to come around but not this long."

"I hate it so much." I murmured. "Now do you believe me when I say she runs at the sight of me?"

Scratching the back of his head, Noah answered puzzled. "Yeah…yeah I do."

"Do you think she's told Sharon?"

"I don't think so." The businessman's gaze drifted in thought. "Hmm."

"What?" My brow rose. "I know that face." _That's never good. _

"What face?"

"Your "I'm-up-to-no-good" face."

"Nah." Noah waved dismissively. "I'm not scheming anything."

"Yeah, and I'm not in love with your sister." My eyes narrowed. "What are you planning?"

"It's all good." Noah began to walk away.

"What's all good?" I called after him. Only to get a cheesy grin. "Noah Robert Newman!" Grumbling, I shook my head.

After a longer than usual set, I went home because Noah didn't need me. As I turned the corner towards my door, I wished I hadn't. There she was, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. _Great. Mariah must have told her everything. Just perfect._ "Sharon?"

"We need to talk." Her voice was unreadable.

Fumbling for my keys, I nodded. Pushing open the door, I allowed her entrance. Closing the door behind me, I placed my case against the wall. "I'm being evicted, aren't I?" I continued before Sharon could speak. "Look, I'll be out in a week. Give me that long at least, please."

"I'm not evicting you, Tessa." Taking a seat on the couch, Sharon motioned to sit. "We need to talk about Mariah."

My heart clenched hearing the redhead's name. "Okay…" Taking a seat, I felt my walls skyrocket.

"Are you in love with my daughter?" Sharon's tone was pointed.

Coughing, I ran a nervous hand through my hair. "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"

"I've leaned it's better not to."

Hesitating, I eventually nodded. "Yes. I'm in love with Mariah."

"Does she know?" Sharon's tone softened.

_Do these two ever talk?_ "Yes. I told her a month ago." The longer it took the information to sink in, the more I fidgeted with anything in reach. _How does Sharon not know about this yet? Mariah had to have told her by now. _

"It's safe to say she didn't take it well? Considering you've not been around the cottage and every time I see Mariah come into Crimson Lights when you're working, she leaves."

_I'm normally great at reading people. Why can't I figure out where this is going?_ "Yeah. Ever since she left here, Mariah refuses to acknowledge my existence. She left so quickly; she forgot her coat. I just hung it in your office and assumed she'd take it from there."

"She's been off since that night. The next day, she called into work sick and went into hiding. She didn't even want to see Devon for a few days."

Finally meeting the woman's gaze, I spoke softly. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because without you, Mariah's a shell of herself. She's been going through the motions of her day-to-day life. She's unhappy. I've not seen her like this in a very long time."

Pain filled my chest knowing Mariah was upset. _I'm miserable without her in my life. No matter what, I don't want her to feel even a fraction like I do. _"Mariah, clearly, refuses to speak to me. What could I possibly do?"

"I think she's in love with you too. She's just scared to death because of her past. She doesn't know romantic love. Yes, she's with Devon, and he's amazing, but he's still in love with Hilary. I think he's using her as a rebound. He didn't go into it thinking that, but I believe that's what happened."

The thought of someone using Mariah as a rebound caused my blood to boil. _I don't care if it wasn't intentional. He should have stopped it. She doesn't deserve to be someone's second choice. _

Seeing how livid I was, Sharon spoke. "Tessa, don't do anything you'll regret. I see how upset you are but Mariah is tough."

I spoke through gritted teeth. "If Devon is still in love with Hilary, he should end it with Mariah."

"You're right. But I think it would be better, for Mariah, if she ended things. The only way to do that is if she knows she's not alone. Mariah can easily survive on her own, she has before, but she doesn't want to anymore. She's got so much love to give."

"She has you." I mumbled, clenching my jaw. _She has me too but that doesn't mean much when she wants nothing to do with me. _

"I'm her mother. I don't count." Sharon laughed softly. "I'll always be here for her. Mariah needs someone who chooses to stick around. Someone who chooses to love her every day."

Relaxing a bit, I leaned into the pillows. "What am I supposed to do? Mariah won't look at me. Let alone speak to me. She sees me and runs the other way."

"I've asked if she'd help with inventory at Crimson Lights tomorrow night." My brow furrowed. "Noah said he'd call me to give me an out. That's when you walk in."

"I did inventory last week…" I sat there confused.

"Yes, I'm quite aware. But short of locking the two of you in the same room, it's the only plan Noah and I could come up with." She paused. "Noah wanted to lock you both in a room. Be glad I came up with this. Are you in?"

_I can't believe both of them are scheming together to get me and Mariah alone. What kind of after school special is this?_ Before I could speak, my body answered for me. "Yeah." _I hope this works._

Xxx

When it was time for me to ambush Mariah, Sharon messaged me. I waited until she left before walking into the coffeehouse. "Did you forget your wallet again?" Mariah laughed.

"No." Cautiously, I stood by the door.

It took a moment for my voice to register. When it did, Mariah's head snapped up. "What are you doing here?"

"I, technically, live here." Grinning, I moved slowly towards a nearby table. "Can we talk?"

"I'm busy." Mariah dismissed, turning back to the task at hand.

"I did inventory last week. Sharon asked you to do it so we could talk." When the redhead wouldn't speak, I continued. "It was this or Noah lock us in a room together. At least this way it's more relaxed and spacious."

"Noah wouldn't dare."

_It's worse than pulling teeth to get words out of this woman!_ "Pretty sure he would at this point. And Sharon would help."

"Whatever." She scoffed.

"Okay, I'll leave. But if we wake up in a locked room, that's on you." Pushing out my chair, I counted down from five in my head. Reaching the door, Mariah finally spoke.

"Wait." I did as she asked. "Don't leave."

"Do you want to talk or not get locked in a room together?" I studied Mariah's reflection in the glass.

"Little of both?" A half smile tugged at the redhead's lips. "I can make some coffee if you want to stay."

_This is neutral territory. Maybe she feels more comfortable talking here?_ "Okay." Taking a seat, I watched as Mariah started working behind the counter.

"How have things been?" Mariah's voice was timid.

"You'd know if you didn't avoid me like the plague." I mumbled.

"What?"

"Busy-ish. I've been playing more at The Underground. You've been avoiding the place."

"I've not been avoiding." My brow rose as the redhead took a seat. "Okay…I have been avoiding."

"Look," I started, "if you're not interested, I get it. But you need to tell me. I've been getting mixed signals from you since we met. You already know how I feel. The question is: how do you feel?" Sipping the steamy liquid, I studied the shorter woman.

"I…" She began. "I don't know how I feel when it comes to you." Mariah held her cup in both hands. _She does that when she's extremely nervous. _Biting her lip, she chose her words carefully. "When I'm around you, I feel warm and tingly. When you look at me, I buzz. When you smile in my direction, it's hard to breathe. And when you sing-" A nervous laugh escaped red lips. "Nothing else exists."

"Everything melts away?"

"Yeah." A soft blush tinted the woman's cheeks.

_It looks like something has been lifted from her shoulders. Her feelings are real now that she's said it aloud._ "How do you feel?"

"Better." Taking a sip of coffee, Mariah thought. "Lighter. I can talk to you about this. Especially now that you know how I feel."

"I actually don't know how you feel. Not exactly." I studied Mariah over the rim of my cup. _I need to know if there's a chance with her. If there's not, it's okay. But I need to know one way or another. _

"I…" She began shakily. "I don't…" Looking away, Mariah clenched her jaw.

"What do you think of when you wake up in the morning?" I offered.

Dark brows creased. "Oh, crap. I have to get up and go to work?"

Snorting, I shook my head. "Okay, not exactly what I meant." Taking a calming breath, I forced myself to ask. "Who do you think of when you first wake up?"

Panic flashed in Mariah's green eyes. A flush colored her cheeks. "You…"

My heart started to pound behind my ribs. "And before you go to sleep at night?"

Her cheeks got redder. "Also, you."

_She's telling me the truth. I need to get my feelings under control. There could be a valid reason, other than the one I want, for why she thinks of me first._ "What about me comes to mind?"

"How you are. Wondering if you're awake yet. What your plans are. Stuff like that." Biting her lip hard, Mariah looked away. "Even when I wake up next to him…"

"Ah." Stunned by Mariah's confession, I was speechless.

"I…I said too much." Before Mariah could stand to run, I placed my hand on hers. Gaining her attention, she spoke softly. "Tessa…"

"It's okay. Sit down." Squeezing her hand gently, I smiled up at the frazzled woman. I waited until Mariah was seated to continue. "It was just a shock to hear."

"I wanted to be honest with you."

"I appreciate that." Meeting Mariah's gaze, I smiled to put her at ease. My next question would send her into a full panic. "Where do we go from here? You know how I feel and you know how you feel. There's just one thing in the way."

"Devon." She mumbled.

Entwining our fingers, I squeezed. "Yeah."

Smiling, Mariah ran her thumb over my hand. "This feels so different." She whispered.

"I'd hope so." Not wanting to ruin the moment of clarity, I kept my voice low.

"I mean, I feel different. When you're holding my hand verses anyone else."

"I know."

A comfortable silence hung in the coffee shop until Mariah's phone rang. Groaning, her head fell. "It's Devon." Letting her thumb hover over the answer icon, she took a shaky breath. "I need to end it with him. But I have to do it in person."

"That would be best."

"Tonight."

"That's up to you."

Answering, Mariah placed the phone down. "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good. How's inventory going?"

"It's done." She paused. "What are you doing now?"

"Nothing. I was calling to see if you would like to come over tonight."

"We need to talk."

Realizing where this conversation was going, I mouthed: I'm going to go. Before I could get to the door, I saw headlights. _Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh shit. _

"Okay. I'm pulling in now."

"I'll unlock the door." Ending the call, Mariah laughed at my horrified expression. "Are you okay?"

"No! I am very much not okay!" Panicking, I dove behind the counter.

"You're going to hide back there the whole time?"

"Yes!" I whispered. Hearing a knock on the main door, I flinched. "I'm not here!"

Opening the door, Mariah let Devon enter. "Hey."

"Hey, what did you need to talk about? You sounded pretty serious on the phone."

"Yeah. Let's sit." _This is killing me! Oh, God. Where's my phone? _My stomach dropped when I remembered it was still on the table._ Shit!_

"Okay."

"I know I've been avoiding you lately." Mariah began carefully.

"Yeah, you have. You've only spent the night twice in the last month." I gagged silently at Devon's statement. "I've been worried about you." _Why does he have to be such a nice guy?_

"We need to break up." _Ripping it off like a band-aid. That's my girl!_

"What?" Devon paused. "Why?"

"I'm in love with someone else." My heart started to pound again hearing Mariah's words.

"Who is he?" Devon sounded hurt.

"She." Mariah corrected softly.

Shifting, Devon cleared his throat. "So, you're in love with another woman?"

"Yes."

"Who is she?" He paused. "Please, not Summer."

"What?! No! Why would I be in love with Summer?"

"That's how the love triangles seem to go in this town. Falling in love with an almost family member or someone's brother/sister/ex. It's confusing."

"It's a very limited dating pool with the Newmans and Abbots."

"Does Tessa know you're breaking up with me?"

"What?" She squeaked.

"After thinking about it, there's only one person you could possibly be in love with. That person is Tessa. The way you kept up with everything Underground related, especially Tessa related, kind of screamed it." He laughed. "And that's Tessa's phone."

"Oh…uh…"

"I'm hurt but I understand. I want to still be friends but it'll take a little bit." Sighing, Devon continued. "I think I'm actually in love with someone else too."

"Hilary?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah…"

"I'm sorry, Mariah. I never saw you as a rebound. Honestly. And I love you but I'm not in love with you."

"It's more like a friend love? One that tried to be more."

"Exactly." Standing, Devon made his way towards the door.

"So, we're good?" Mariah asked cautiously.

"Yeah, we're good." Hugging the shorter woman, Devon paused. "Hi, Tessa."

"What?"

"She's down here somewhere. No way Tessa would just leave her phone somewhere."

Peeking out from behind the counter, I grinned. "Hey, Devon."

"Take care of our girl, okay?"

Standing tall, I nodded. "Will do."

"Good." Before leaving, the businessman popped his head back in. "Oh, put on the performance of your life next Friday at The Underground. A scout is coming to listen to you. Don't blow it."

"S-seriously?" I stammered.

"Yup. I've told the guy you're the best in town. Don't make a liar out of me." Devon kidded.

"I won't. Thanks for the heads up." With a nod, he left.

We stood there in silence for a while. Not knowing exactly what just happened. "That…went better than expected." Staring at the door, I was still in disbelief.

"Yeah…"

Turning towards me, Mariah took my hand. "Since inventory is done, do you want to lock up and go upstairs?" She paused, realizing how that sounded. "To talk more." A deep blush painted her entire face.

_She's already thinking about not so innocent things? I thought I was the only one._ "Sure."

Pushing open my door, I allowed Mariah ahead of me. Pausing, she looked around the apartment. "It's been so long since I've been here. You've done a lot with the place."

"Yeah." I kept my voice low. "Ever since you first found out how I felt."

Turning, Mariah looked anywhere but my face. "I'm sorry for leaving the way I did."

Placing my hands on the shorter woman's shoulders, I smiled. "Don't apologize. It's a lot finding out someone is in love with you and said person saying they believe you love them back. It was a lot to take in."

Nodding slowly, Mariah bit her lip. "I hadn't let myself actually think about the idea."

"Clearly." Stepping forward, I kissed red locks. "Let's go sit. Can I get you anything?"

"No. I'm good. I just want to hangout and let everything sink in."

Laughing, I leaned into the pillow. "Definitely understand that." I watched as Mariah weighed the options of how close she wanted to sit by me. As if on cue, both of our phones rang. Mine being Noah and Maria's being Sharon.

A mischievous gleam twinkled in the redhead's eyes. "Should we give them an update or just let them keep wondering?"

"That's up to you." _I missed that look._

Mariah stood and walked towards the kitchen. "Hey, Mom."

"Sup?"

_"How'd it go tonight? Did you and Mariah make up? Please tell me the coffeehouse isn't burnt to the ground." _

Scoffing, I stretched across the loveseat. "We're adults. Do you really think one of us would burn a building to the ground?" I paused. "Don't answer that." Looking over her shoulder, Mariah looked confused. "Things went well. Mariah's talking to Sharon as we speak. We came upstairs after Devon left."

_"Devon? She's already broken up with him?"_

"Yeah. He called and she wanted to get it over with. He took it surprisingly well. Granted, he's still in love with Hilary so…"

_"That helps. Do you think they'll still be friends?" _

"Oh, yeah. Devon told me about some big shot who's going to be scouting talent next week."

_"That's…great!" _

"I think so." Noticing Mariah wrapping up her conversation, I did the same. "Well hey, Mariah and I are going to talk more. I'll see you tomorrow."

_"Sounds good. Tell Mariah I said hey."_

"Will do." Ending the call, I watched as the redhead made her way back to the couch.

"They actually did set this whole thing up, didn't they?"

"Yup. More than you think." Dark brows furrowed. "Remember the night you sent me the shower text?" Mariah nodded slowly. "I was with Noah when I received it.

Blood drained from the woman's face. "Oh, God…"

"He's actually the one who told me that text was subconscious flirting."

"What?"

"He explained that you subconsciously wanted to send me that text to flirt with me."

Mulling over the information, Mariah thought back. "I guess?"

Taking the older woman's hand, I pulled her close. Leaning into me, Mariah got comfortable in my arms. "I don't know if it's true or not." Nuzzling her curls, I smiled. "But honestly, I don't care."

Humming, Mariah snuggled more into me. "Same here." Fighting back a yawn, the redhead grumbled. "I don't want to go."

"Stay the night. I can give you clothes."

Turning to study my face, Mariah spoke softly. "You sure?"

"Mmhmm." Smiling, I kissed her temple. "I've not seen you in a month. I missed you."

"I missed you too."


End file.
